VIOLET TOOK A SMALL SIP OF HER ALCOHOLIC DRINK, mentally contemplating whether or not to show up at school. She was already late, so there was really no point in her mind. Yeah

But it was also Carolines birthday. Though with how rocky things had been between Violet and the group of friends, she doubted that anyone would really want her there.

The human watched silently as Klaus closed the lid to the coffin that held his incapacitated sister. "Sweet dreams, Rebekah." The Original whispered.

One of Klaus' hybrids, Mindy, approached them. "Show her to her room, would you, love?" The woman complied, rolling the coffin down the hall to one of the rooms, leaving Klaus and Violet.

Noticing his soulmates thoughtful look, the hybrid sighed. "You know, I won't be upset if you go to school. It's your best friends birthday. You should go celebrate with them."

Violet just scoffed quietly and quickly gulped down the rest of her drink. "Things between all of us are different now. They call it 'siding with the enemy'. I call it 'not wanting my soulmate to die'. They just don't seem to get that."

"Not everyone can overlook all of the terrible things I've done like you can." Klaus spoke as his blue eyes locked with her hazel ones. The blonde shook her head. "But that's the thing! I'm overlooking everything you've done, just like Elena can overlook everything that Damon and Stefan have done. I mean, Stefan was a ripper, for gods sake! He's murdered thousands of people and she ignored it just like I am. It's a bit hypocritical if you ask me." She rambled. "Besides, I'm starting to feel a little tipsy so it's probably best not to go to school."

Klaus opened his mouth to reply to her but a sudden presence caused him to smirk. "Speak of the Devil. I'm surprised your still in town." Violet turned her head and spotted Stefan leaning against the doorway across from them. "I gave you your freedom. You could have gone anywhere."

The younger vampire shrugged nonchalantly. "I live here, Klaus."

Violet rolled her eyes, having had enough with the Salvatore brothers to last the rest of her life. "Well, if you're playing that game, then he was here first." She cut it.

Stefan only smirked. "Careful, Violet. This new found confidence of yours is going to get you hurt one day. Especially around him." He spoke, pointing to the hybrid who was watching the exchange warily.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I've already been hurt. Except, it was you, Elena, and Damon who caused it and Nik was the one who helped me." She retorted.

The youngest Salvatore clenched his jaw, ignoring her words and turning to Klaus. "You know, I don't like your hybrids. They're everywhere. Kinda like fleas. I want them gone."

Klaus sighed and falsely smiled. "Yeah well, I kind of like having them around." Stefan hummed. "You know, I'm hurt. I hoped that I'd free you and we'd pick up where we left off. But here you are, guzzling vervain like the rest of them, I'm sure." The hybrid spoke as he poured himself more alcohol and then took Violet's cup to pour her some as well. "So much for friendship."

"Friends don't strip friends of their free will." The vampire remarked.

"Okay, granted, that was a little extreme, but I get a little moody. Just ask my siblings. Speaking of whom...isn't it time you hand them over?"

Stefan didn't seem affected in the slightest and kept his face straight. "Klaus...get you're hybrids out of Mystic Falls, or I will remove them myself." He threatened. "Hmm. You see, if you continent threaten me, I'm going to be forced to retaliate, kill people. And it'll get messy, again." Klaus shot back.

"Do whatever you want. I don't really care." Then Stefan lightly gasped mockingly. "Or, you know what? Maybe I do. Yeah. Yeah, maybe I care so much, that I drop Elijah into the Arctic." He says, Violet's eyes widening. She tried to convince herself that Stefan wouldn't dare, but seeing the almost emotionless look in his eyes, she could tell he wasn't lying. It was quite obvious the vampire had turned his emotions back on. He just wasn't letting them in. He was refusing to feel. It was a small talent of Violet's, being able to read people like books. Right now, Stefan was a children's book.

"Well, maybe I'd be willing to lose one brother if it meant killing yours." Klaus says to him. "Try me." The sandy haired vampire said. "Let's find out." Klaus only grins as Mindy chooses that moment to walk back into the room. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Mindy." Klaus reassured. "Stefan was just leaving after failing to make his point." Stefan smirked.

Before Violet could even blink, the younger vampire speeds over, grabbing a saw from the wooden table, using it to decapitate the female hybrid. Violet gasped, Klaus pulling her closer to him and attempting to shield her eyes from the gory sight.

"Well, one down. You may want to, uh, send the rest of them away before it gets messy...again." Stefan suggested with a smirk before confidently walking away as the soulmates glared at his retreating figure.

━

Klaus look at his soulmate in slight worry, noticing her shaken up form. Necks being snapped, people being drained of blood, she had seen enough of that to get used to it. But seeing someone's head literally being cut off–that one was new. And it slightly terrified her, how Stefan did that so effortlessly, without thought or remorse.

Hiding her emotions was something Violet has become an expert at, what with so many years of practice, but Klaus, Klaus could tell she was bothered by what had happen just a few minutes before.

"Are you alright, flower?" The Original carefully asked. He felt a bit guilty, knowing that all of this was caused by him compelling Stefan to turn off his humanity and do everything he says. Klaus didn't want Violet to be upset with him, because in the few months he's known the short blonde, he's been more content than he has in a while.

Violet looked up at him, a small but forced smile on her face. "Yeah, Nik. I'm fine, honestly. People die all the time, especially around Stefan and Damon. I'm used to it it's okay."

The hybrid placed the palm of his hand against her cheek, using his thumb to slightly caress her face. "If something is bothering you, you tell me, alright? I know I'm not the most ideal person to be spilling your feelings to, but I care about you so much, more than you can imagine. I would do anything to make sure you feel safe and happy."

A grin, real this time, grew on her face. "I feel safe and happy right where I am." She says, making Klaus' heart swell with an emotion he hadn't felt in centuries.

Love.

But before he could respond, one of the hybrids, Daniel, entered the room carrying an ivory colored sack that had a massive blood stain at the bottom.

"What do you want me to do with her head?" The man questioned. Klaus clenched his jaw, from being both interrupted and being reminded of his now dead hybrid. "Just get rid of it. Burn it. I honestly don't care, Daniel."

As the hybrid walked off, Tyler walked in. "You called. I'm here. What happened?" He asked, gesturing towards the puddles of blood on the floor.

"What happening is Stefan had two paths in front of him and he chose the one the made me angry. I need you to help me do something about that." Tyler's face was blank but it was obvious that he was an it annoyed. "Can't you just leave me out of it?"

"What would be the point in that?" Klaus inquired. "Seriously, man. Can't you just get one of your other hybrids to do your bidding? I lost my friends, my girlfriend." Tyler spoke making Klaus grin. Violet could tell he was going to request something that was going to end up hurting Caroline, no doubt, but she didn't say anything. "Right your, uh, your girlfriend. Um, about her...in need you to bite her."

"What?" Both Tyler and Violet asked at the same time. Klaus glanced back at his soulmate and gave her a reassuring look before turning back to the hybrid. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"A hybrid bite will kill a vampire." Tyler reminded him. "Yeah, yeah. I know exactly what it will do. Uh, Stefan pushed me too far, so I'm pushing back."

"I'm not biting Caroline!" Tyler insisted.

Klaus only gave him a fake smile. "Tyler, I've been supernaturally blessed with a sire bond to you. So one could consider this me putting your undying loyalty to the test."

The young hybrid narrowed his eyes at the Original and took angry steps closer to him. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not hurting Caroline."

The corners of Klaus' mouth twitched up into a smirk. "All right. All right. I'm disappointed but you know, it's your choice, free will and all that. I'll find another way to strike at Stefan. You can go now."

After giving the Original a weird look, Tyler left the house, leaving Violet and Klaus along with the few hybrids that were helping to renovate the house. Once he was gone, Violet shot her soulmate an incredulous look. "Are you out of your mind?"

Klaus looked back at her with a confused expression. "What? I said he didn't have to bite her."

She gave him a knowing look. "You and I both know that the sire bond is probably still going to make him bite Caroline. I may not be in her good books right now, but I don't want her to die. She's one of my best friends." The blonde told him.

Seeing how much the girl actually meant to Violet, Klaus sighed in defeat. "Look, I did tell Tyler that he didn't have to bite her. But if he does, I promise I'll go and heal her myself. Would that make you happy?"

After a moment, Violet let a small grin grow on her face, pleasing Klaus. "Yes. Yes it would."

The hybrid only rolled his eyes playfully. "You're lucky I'd do anything for you."

━

"You know, Carol, when I think of them now, I think of an old fuddy duddy, but you really have changed my perception. You are just delightful."

At the moment, Violet stood at the bar, sipping on her now non-alcoholic drink and watching Klaus flirt with Carol Lockwood. The hybrid had successfully convinced her to come to the founders party, after helping her realize that she really had nothing else to do, so that's where they were. But Violet was beginning to regret her decision to come when an unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling creeped on her as she witnessed Klaus give compliments to the Mayor.

It was jealousy, she wasn't going to deny it. But she just wouldn't admit it to herself. She refused to be jealous of Tyler Lockwood's mother. "What color are your eyes?" Klaus continued, resulting in Carol blushing like a teenager. "They're blue." She replied. Violet could only roll her eyes and clench her jaw.

Her attention was only taken off of them when Damon approached them. "Look what the cat dragged in. Nice vest."

"Well, thank you very much, good to see you Damon. Carol and I were just discussing whether you'd be tonight's other big benefactor."

The mayor grinned. "What do you say, Damon? Klaus has made a very generous pledge. You know how we're chomping at the but to begin the renovation." She spoke and took a sip of her champagne.

Damon hummed. "Carol, don't take this the wrong way, but do you realize that you've been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who  ruined your son's life?"

"Oh, come now. Some might say I saved it, what will all that nasty full moon business. I never had to go through it myself more than twice to be honest, but still...I'm very sympathetic." He whispered convincingly to Carol. The woman nodded and faced the Salvatore. "Klaus has promised to protect Tyler, Damon, and our town."

"From who? His hybrids are the ones the town needs protection from." Damon remarked. "Well, I'd have no use for them if your brother would kindly return my family."

"Not gonna happen." Damon said. "That's what I thought, which is why I've come to an agreement with the mayor. You and the council stay out of my hair, I'll stay out of yours. Your town gets protected, my hybrids get left alone, and everybody will be happy. All you have to do is get Stefan to stop decapitating my friends." Klaus growled.

The brunette woman looked at the younger vampire pleadingly. "Please, Damon. Just get your bother under control or the council will be forced to take action against him."

The Salvatore vampire gave them a glare. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, come on, mate." Klaus smirked. "Give peace a chance."

━

As they left the founders hall, Klaus looked down at his soulmate curiously. "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

"Hmm?" She only met his eyes for a second before looking back down. "I'm just a bit exhausted that's all."

The hybrid rolled his eyes. "I can read you like a book, flower. What's wrong? You know you call tell me anything." He said to her. Violet only shrugged so he decided to let it go. The two walked in silence for a few moments before she sighed. "Did you really have to flirt with Carol Lockwood the whole time?"

Klaus began to smirk. "Ah, so you're jealous."

Violet scoffed. "I am not jealous. I'm just saying it's kinda gross. I mean, I know you're like 1000 years old but you still look like you're in your 20's. Carol is like 40 so it's weird." She explained. Klaus hummed but she could tell it was sarcastic. "I'm not jealous!" She insisted and playfully shoved him.

The two let out laughs as they made their way to the car. It was times like these that Violet enjoyed. Moments when they acted normal. When no one was dying of getting hurt or being threatened.

But of course that didn't last very long.

Klaus' phone began to ring and just before he answered it, Violet was able to get a glimpse of the name Stefan displayed across the screen.

"Stefan, how nice to hear your voice." Klaus spoke into the phone.

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus." Stefan immediately replied. Violet furrowed her eyebrows as she listened to the faint conversation. "Well, that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back."

Violet could very faintly hear a motor of a car. "Ok. Well, then I'm going to drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge." The vampire threatened. Violet's eyes widened. Elena's parents had died driving off of that bridge. She may not be on the best terms with the doppelgänger but she was still once her best friend and remembering how torn up she was at the death of her parents, Violet didn't want Elena to have that same fate.

"I don't believe you, Stefan. You won't kill her." There was a sudden familiar sound of skin breaking and then muffled protests before Elena could be heard coughing. Klaus clenched his jaw. "What's going on?"

"I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she's a vampire." Violet's jaw dropped open and she looked worriedly at her soulmate. "You won't do it." Klaus said.

"Try me, because your coffins are next to go." Klaus tightened his jaw and closed his eyes in frustration. "Say goodbye to your family, Klaus."

The blonde human began to grow scared as she heard the engine go faster and Elena's frightened protests. "Nik you have to." Violet pleaded.

"Fine. I'll send them away you win." But Elena could still be heard yelling at her former boyfriend to stop the car. "Stop the car, Stefan!" Klaus yelled.

Tires screeched as the car finally came to a stop. Klaus angrily hung up the phone, looking over at Violet when he heard her rapid heartbeat.

"He was actually going to do it." She whispered. Klaus sighed and threw his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close and leading her to the car.

━

Klaus stood outside of the Forbes residence, waiting for someone to come answer the door.

He had taken Violet back to his house, letting her rest after an eventful day. But as he got back to his own house, he was visited by Tyler, who was panicking and begging for him to heal Caroline. Klaus usually wouldn't take the time to go heal her, thinking of the girl as collateral damage, but he had made a promise to Violet.

Finally, Matt had came to the door, glaring coldly at the hybrid. "Tyler came to see me. Poor boy, he seemed quite distressed. He said Caroline had a terrible accident."

"You made him do this to her. He would have never done something like this." Matt uttered lowly.

"I'm here to help, Matt." Klaus said just as the sheriff came into view. "My blood will heal her. Please ask the sheriff to invite me inside."

"I know how this came works." Liz spoke. "You want something in return." She accused.

The Original shook his head. "Just your support."

The sheriff gave him a hesitant look. "Come in." He stepped past the now non-existent barrier and into the home, making his way to Carolines room.

From her position on the bed, Caroline looked up at him. "Are you going to kill me?" She whimpered.

Klaus cracked a smile. "On your birthday? Do you really think that low of me?" She glared at him. "Yes."

Klaus inhaled through his nose and pulled the blanket slightly away from her, revealing her nasty werewolf bite. "Oh, that looks bad. You're what's known as collateral damage. It's nothing personal." He spoke, feeling slightly guilty.

The Original looked at the two birthday cards that were stood on her nightstand. "I love birthdays."

Caroline lightly scoffed. "Yeah. Aren't you like...a billion or something?"

"We have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions. You're free." He spoke with a small grin.

"No." She denied. "I'm dying."

Klaus slowly took a seat on the edge of her bed. "And I could let you die...if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning. I've thought about it myself once or twice over the centuries, truth be told. But now I've met Violet and there's nothing I would like to do more than spend eternity with her." Caroline smiled softly at the fondness in his voice for her best friend. She felt slightly bad, not inviting Violet to her birthday/funeral.

"So I'm going to let you in on a little secret." Klaus continued. "There's a whole world out there waiting for you. Great cities and art and music...genuine beauty." His words brought tears to Carolines eyes as she soaked up everything he was saying. "And you can have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask."

There was a second of silence. "I don't want to die." Caroline croaked out, tears gathering in her eyes.

The hybrid pulled up his sleeve and gently lifted her weak body, placing his wrist in front of her face. "There you go. Have at it." The blonde vampire bit into his wrist, greedily sucking up the blood and successfully healing her wound. 

"Happy birthday, Caroline."

━

The next morning, the now healed vampire woke in her bed, reaching up and feeling her smooth neck. She sighed before a long black box with a ribbon tied around it caught her eye.

She hesitantly picked up the box, grabbing the small piece of paper tucked under the ribbon.

Don't be upset with Violet because she cares for me. You're all hurting her just as much as she is hurting you. - Klaus

Caroline bit her lip as a feeling of guilt washed over her once again. Last night proved that Klaus wasn't the monster everyone thought him to be. She could see that now. And it only made her feel worse for abandoning Violet when the only thing she's done is care for the person that was actually meant to love her for all eternity.

The vampire opened up the box, gasping out slightly at the sight. Inside the box, was a charm bracelet, identical to the matching ones Violet and Caroline had when they were children, only this one was bigger and had much more diamonds. She felt tears well in her eyes as she took the jewelry out and clipped it ok her wrist, finding that it was the perfect size.

Violet had been forgiven, the vampire knew she had never really been the one who was mad at the girl. But Caroline just hoped that, after the wrongs she had done, Violet would forgive her.

━

The day after was a bit boring if burning meant that nothing supernatural really happened. Up until late that is. The beginning of the day started normally and Violet was only scolded by her father twice before she finally got a text from Klaus asking if he wanted to accompany him to find out where his families coffins are.

Violet said yes immediately, partly because she was bored and partly because she actually liked Klaus' family. Well at least the ones she's met which are only Rebekah and Elijah. Klaus didn't talk about the rest of his family much at all, she had only heard the stories he's told her about his younger brother Kol, the wildest Mikaelson Klaus called him, and his older brother Finn who Klaus described as dull and hateful towards his species.

She was curious to know his family, even if they wouldn't like her, Violet would like to get to know her soulmates family if she really was going to spend eternity with him.

At the abandoned witch house, Klaus and Violet stood silently in the shadows, awaiting Damon's arrival.

"He said he would get us the coffins, right?" Violet questioned quietly. She couldn't see him, but she felt Klaus nod. "Supposedly."

Their talking halted when they heard footsteps approach and Damon walk into the seemingly coffin-less room. Klaus waited a moment before he stepped out with Violet it tow. "What took you so long?"

"Hiding behind your witchy friends." Klaus grinned. "And in squalor, no less."

All of the candles in the room suddenly flamed violently and Klaus fell the ground, screaming in pain and clutching his head. Violet hurried to kneel down beside him and looked up at Damon. "Make them stop. Now."

The vampire only laughed as the witches stopped their spell but still held the hybrid down. "Insulting a bunch of dead witches, not smart. I made the exact same mistake the first time I came in here." Damon smirked.

"Well, you know the funny thing about witches is that living or dead, they care about their own." Klaus stopped as a powerful force hit him and he grunted in pain. "A hundred dead witches have a thousand living descendants..." This only seemed to make the spirits angrier as they forced more pain upon the hybrid, making his scream out while Violet did her best to steady him. Though she was no match for the power of a hundred dead witches.

"And I have no problem in killing every last one of them if I don't get my coffins back." Klaus growled as Violet helped him stand. "As we speak, my hybrid friend is prepared to end the Bennet line." At the threat, the spirits stopped and the candles around the room returned to normal and the pain that had erupted in Klaus' head ceased.

Damon looked around with a disappointed expression. Violet rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Dick."

"Now," Klaus approached Damon and looked up. "Show me the coffins." In the blink of an eye, three wooden and dusty coffins appeared. Klaus smirked. "Here we are."

But the soulmates both noticed something was missing and Klaus' face dropped. "Where's the fourth coffin?" Violet asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Klaus clenched his jaw when Damon didn't reply and looked up as if looking at the spirits. "Show me!"

Damon rose his eyebrows. "Well, eh, here's the thing. They can't. It's not here."

"What did you do?" Klaus questioned. "Well, Bonnie gave me the heads up. I mean, I didn't have time to get all four, but I did have time to get one." The younger vampire spoke, wearing a triumphant smirk.

The Original gave him a deadly glare and if looks could kill, Damon would be decomposing six feet underground.

"I will tear you limb from limb. And only then, when you're a writhing mass of blood and flesh, will I rip your heart from your chest." Klaus threatened. But Damon didn't seemed phased by the hybrids words in the least. "Sorry. Same rules apply. Leverage and all."

Violet cautiously walked over to where he soulmate stood, grasping his hand tightly in hopes that it would keep his anger at bay and prevent him from lashing out at the Salvatore.

"I know you want you're family back, but something tells me you want what's in the coffin a lot more."

━

Once Klaus had explained who exactly was in that fourth coffin that had him so worried, ("You keep your dead mother in a coffin?" "Yes, I do. Is that wrong?" "Just a little bit, yeah.") the soulmates had gone back to Klaus' mansion, his hybrids helping to bring the coffins inside.

"You've got your family back. Finally." Daniel, one of the hybrids, said making Klaus grin. "You gonna open them?" The Original wore a mischievous smirk which slightly worried the small blonde human.

"Not quite yet." Klaus told him. "I still have some unfinished business to take care of." He said as he and Violet began to leave the room. "What business?" Daniel questioned curiously.

But before Klaus could answer, Daniel's body lurched as a noise of pain left his mouth, before he fell forward, revealing none other than Elijah holding a blood heart in his hand.

Klaus and Violet both gasped and looked at the noble Original with wide eyes. "So, Niklaus."

"Elijah." Klaus whispered.

"What'd I miss?"

━

oh shit, Elijah's back. And yes, the Original family with be awoken next chapter. If you haven't noticed, though I'm sure some have, I have a new layout on the chapters that will be what my future books look like as well. And also the new ship name is Nikolet. For those of you who suggested names, tysm! Love you all.

– alexis